About Doug

Doug Cameron was born in Bellshill in Scotland, in 1951. He is married to Elaine and has two daughters and two grandchildren.

Doug has worked as a mechanical fitter in the steel, ship repair, automotive and power industries. He was elected by manufacturing workers to represent them in various positions in the AMWU including delegate, organiser, Assistant State Secretary, Assistant National Secretary, National Secretary and Vice President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

Doug has been a long-term patron of the Asbestos Diseases Foundation, a Director of Australian Super and under the Keating government was a member of the Australian Best Practice Committee.

Doug has played a key role in developing industrial and political strategies designed to improve employment security, wages, and skill and industry development in the manufacturing industry. He has been at the centre of ACTU and AMWU campaigns on workers entitlements, health and safety, work and family balance and the right to collectively bargain.

Doug was elected to the Senate at the 2007 federal election, and took his seat on 1 July 2008. He lives in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney and his electorate office is in Springwood.

Within the ALP, he has argued and fought for compassionate treatment of refugees, social justice for welfare recipients, equality for the LGBTI community, stronger protection for the environment, and been outspoken against the expansion of Australian uranium mining.

Doug was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Housing and Homelessness in July 2013, and served in that role until the federal election in September that year.

Following the 2013 federal election, Doug was elected to the Shadow Ministry by his colleagues and took on the Human Services portfolio. In this role he fought for the rights of Centrelink clients to fair treatment, improved service standards and protection from predatory businesses using Centrepay to exploit financially vulnerable people.

Following the July 2016 federal election, Doug was appointed Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness and Shadow Minister for Skills and Apprenticeships; two portfolios that have suffered badly under the wilful neglect of the Abbott and Turnbull governments.